January 31, 2011

Egypt: The Fear Factor

Monday in Al Tahrir (or: “Freedom”) Square.

Typically, a news photo speaks to what’s happening now. In other cases, though, it can be more prospective or predictive. A lot of the images coming out of Cairo today seem to almost be asking “what’s next?” This photo shows the military — at this point, anyway — as the least of Cairo’s problems. Instead, the picture looks past the situation of “the people versus the government” anticipating “the people versus the people.” (I’m not clear how much the photo pegs that tension to the religious parties, though, as the two guys nearest the soldiers — though they’re ringed by at least one guy in a skull cap — look more secular, Unfortunately, the caption gives no explanation.) In contrast to the hopeful “liberation” photos coming out of the Square, this one frames the potential downfall of the government as more of a downfall overall.

This newswire image we just posted on our Tumblr site, by the way, also fears an ignition.